I deeply resent the destruction of federalism represented by Hillary Clinton's willingness to go into a state she doesn't even live in and pretend to represent people there. So I certainly wouldn't imitate it.

Had I been reading to children and had my top aide whisper in my ear that America is under attack, I would have told those kids very nicely and politely that the president of the United States has something that he needs to attend to.

You're darn skippy. Bush apologists reflexively defend his inexcusable failure to act on the information that the United States was under attack. To them I would like to pose one simple question: Suppose you were in a meeting and -- perish forbid! -- someone came in and informed you that your spouse or significant other had been gravely injured in an accident. Would you really continue to sit there for seven long minutes, or would you excuse yourself at once? I know what I'd do -- I'd be outta there, and I find it hard to imagine anyone so spectacularly failing to perform his or her familial duty. Why, then, should Bush's failure get a free pass?

nigerian spam of the day

I must admit, my annoyance at the strady stream of Nigerian spam email is somewhat moillified by amusement at the creativity the senders show are dressing up the same old scam in new and different ways. For example:

Compliments of the day to you, I am an undergraduate of the University of Lagos, Nigeria. I am 27years old and Studying Computer Science in the above institution and in my final year here in Lagos.

Firstly, I have to abuse your mind that this transaction is not a joke is 100% risk free and it requires your present to the Security Company to claim the funds on my behalf and we have to be seen face to face to actualize the transfer into your nominated Bank account.

I want to seek your assistance for a very important and confidential matter as regards my future.

Really I?m Miss Stella Aku final year student, University of Lagos, Nigeria first daughter from a polygamous family of late Sport Minister Mr. Mike I .Aku who died on a plane crash on his official trip to Northern part of Nigeria on 4th April, 2002.Actually, I am not murmuring for my Daddy?s death but the brave winner of the family is no more, but before his timely death, he smartly secure $10,000,000mUSD during a contract awarded to a multimillion Company in Japan to construct a Millennium Modern Abuja Stadium that cost in estimate of $3Billion USD.

However, my late father and other colleagues including Minister of State, F.C.T, Mallam EL-Ruef over invoicing the contract to $3. Billion Dollars and during the start of the contract they withdraw the inflect amount and share it secretly among themselves and my late father?s share is the above sum and being aware of Nigeria fund probing he secure his own share with my name in a Security Company Abroad to avoid probing and tracing of account, then he sign and seal a document with our family Attorney, that read and meditating seriously before I lay hand on the fund I must present a foreign investor that will assist me in the growth of management and maintain the family status.

Finally, regards to my request, you shall promised me your absolute trust and honesty considering my age 27yrs, moreover I will offer you a favorable percentage that will do for your assistance.

Although, upon your confirmation of your trustworthiness, I shall not hesitate to link you up to our family attorney as you have been my foreign investor.

Please if you are interested in helping me kindly send to me your telephone/fax number to allow our family contact you immediately.

"But we must understand that the kind of information available to us today is the result of the President's leadership in the war against terror. The reports that have led to this alert are the result of offensive intelligence and military operations overseas, as well as strong partnerships with our allies around the world, such as Pakistan. Such operations and partnerships give us insight into the enemy so we can better target our defensive measures here and away from home."

Even if the quality of the intelligence used for the warnings was better than the usual "chatter," the fact that much of the information was several years old -- even predating 9/11 -- raises serious questions about the announcement's timing. The fact that Ridge turned the announcement into a Bush campaign ad simply removes any pretense that the announcement was anything other than a political ploy intended to distract from the Democratic convention.

Back in the day, a favorite refrain of conservatives to liberals was "love it or leave it." But truly, as at least one commentor pointed out, there are pelnty of nations on Earth where the Hobbesian Libertarian dream is fully realized. I think in the Sudan right now, on can pretty much count on plenty of opportunity to defend one's own property without worrying about any "monopoly on power" by the State. I truly wonder if these self-styled libertarians wuld truly appreciate living in the kind of state that would arise if their fantasies were enacted. For now, we have enough problems with the Bush Administration trying to turn this great nation into a banana republic without the so-called libertarians helping out.

boss post of the day

Bruce Springsteen has never made a secret of his adherence to American values, which often puts him at odds with Republican policies. Now he and a number of patriotic musicians are touring to help defeat George W. Bush in November.

Bruce Springsteen, the U.S. rock icon known as The Boss, will join two dozen other stars in nine "battleground" states for a rock 'n' roll tour aimed at ousting President Bush, organizers said on Wednesday.

The "Vote for Change" tour -- 34 shows in 28 cities -- is scheduled for the first week of October, one month before the U.S. presidential election.

"The tour is aimed squarely at the radical right wing policies of Republican ideologues throughout the country," said Eli Pariser, executive director of MoveOn PAC, the online liberal political action committee presenting the tour.

Six concert lineups will play simultaneous shows in a blitz of so-called swing states -- those that could go either Democrat or Republican in November: Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, North Carolina, Florida, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Wisconsin.

"I felt like I couldn't have written the music I've written, and been on stage singing about the things that I've sung about for the last 25 years and not take part in this particular election," said Springsteen, who has avoided direct political work in the past.

Dave Matthews, James Taylor, the Dixie Chicks, James Taylor, Pearl Jam, R.E.M, John Mellencamp, Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt are among the performers donating their talent and time to get Democrat John Kerry into the White House.

Like many others, in the aftermath of 9/11, I felt the country's unity. I don't remember anything quite like it. I supported the decision to enter Afghanistan and I hoped that the seriousness of the times would bring forth strength, humility and wisdom in our leaders. Instead, we dived headlong into an unnecessary war in Iraq, offering up the lives of our young men and women under circumstances that are now discredited. We ran record deficits, while simultaneously cutting and squeezing services like afterschool programs. We granted tax cuts to the richest 1 percent (corporate bigwigs, well-to-do guitar players), increasing the division of wealth that threatens to destroy our social contract with one another and render mute the promise of "one nation indivisible."

It is through the truthful exercising of the best of human qualities - respect for others, honesty about ourselves, faith in our ideals - that we come to life in God's eyes. It is how our soul, as a nation and as individuals, is revealed. Our American government has strayed too far from American values. It is time to move forward. The country we carry in our hearts is waiting.

anime post of the day

I was out shopping this evening, and stopped by a used DVD store. There I picked up an import DVD of the stylish anime OAV Read or Die. I've seen the first episode via digisub, and I can hardly wait to check out the whole thing! In the meantime, this review provides the basics.

video game post of the day

Whee! I've finally achieved some marginal competence at Dance Dance Revolution Konamix. I have achieved A rankings on all the one-foot rated songs (I'd better have!). (Difficulty is measured by the number of feet -- the more feet, the harder the pattern.) I can clear the three-foot rated songs on the first try, and clear some four-foot rated songs, although some elude me. (An A rating on the three-foot rated songs has also proved an elusive goal.)

Well, I just ripped out an A rating on a four-foot rated song, Groove, that I'd never played before -- sight reading all the way. w00t!

anime swag

Back in June, I picked up a plastic figurine depicting Mitsune from Love Hina on sale at the local GameStop.

Today I dropped by on my way to the grocery, and discovered the entire line marked down even further, and on a 50% off table to boot. In short, I picked up the other five figures in the set for a mere 11 bucks. c00L!

shipwreck post of the day

A team of underwater archaeologists has recently mapped the wreck of a Russian-American Co. ice freighter, the Kad'yak, which sank north of Kodiak Island, Alaska, in 1860, and was lost for 144 years until its discovery in 2003.